GE Silicones SSG4400 UltraGlaze* Sealant Fortifies a Geometric Wonder

By GE Silicones.

The building features a curtainwall façade that required assembling 27,400 pieces—all in untraditional shapes and sizes—within an irregular frame.

A versatile sealant for a unique design

In 2008, the Chinese government was busy implementing grand plans ahead of the Beijing Summer Olympics. Constructing a state-of-the-art headquarters for China Central Television (CCTV) was high on the list. Its radical design featured a loop of six horizontal and vertical sections, creating an eye-catching structure.

This bold idea faced many structural and technical challenges due to the building’s unique geometry and seismic location. Beijing Jangho Curtain Wall Co., Ltd., the façade fabricator, chose GE Silicones Structural Silicone Sealants (SSG) for their trusted strength, flexibility, and reputation as highly dependable in atypical circumstances.

“We needed a [collaborative] partner who had both a [strong product offering] and the ability to [help] manage the inevitable technical challenges that would come in creating a building with such an unusual design,” said Zhang Sheng, vice president at Jangho.

Limitations redefined

The GE Silicones team considered many challenges when proposing a product for the CCTV building. Two independent towers in the design faced exposure to powerful winds and surface temperature variations. Building the curtainwall façade required assembling 27,400 pieces—all in untraditional shapes and sizes—within an irregular frame. Manufacturing and installing these pieces would take more time and effort than usual, while still facing a hard deadline. Plus, the structure was in the middle of an earthquake zone, making structural integrity a strong focus.

In consideration of the seismic threats, the large glass size, and the irregular-shaped joints, +/-15 percent movement capacity was deemed necessary. The project also required a sealant with excellent processing and flowability to allow for easy joint filling.

“We needed a [collaborative] partner who had both a [strong product offering] and the ability to [help] manage the inevitable technical challenges that would come in creating a building with such an unusual design.”

— Zhang Shend, Vice President, Beijing Janho Curtain Wall Co., Ltd

After conducting multiple tests onsite and at Jangho’s lab, the GE Silicones team helped Jangho determine that GE SSG4400 UltraGlaze sealant offered the properties required to successfully and safely construct the building. The consistency of SSG4400 sealant proved to be viscous enough to hold the joints stable during the cure phase, as well as capable of flowing into tight spaces to fill cavities thoroughly.

Seamless process, superb results

The façade of the CCTV building was completed in January 2008. Start to finish, the façade fabrication took about 18 months—six months quicker than is average for a building as complex as CCTV. With the help of the GE Silicones experts, Jangho discovered the right solution to help keep the project on track and ensure structural integrity.

“[The] GE Silicones [team] tapped into their global experience so that we could best serve our customer,” says Sheng.
Download this Case Study [PDF 1.5 MB]

Learn more about GE Silicones in their RCS Directory.

Original article source: GE Silicones